Harry Potter and the Runes that Bind
by ShamelessHaze
Summary: What would happen if Harry decided to break the chains holding him down and strive to be the strongest wizard he could? A very different tale indeed. The story begins at the end of the third year. Rated M to be safe, no pairings planned but will happen.


**AN:** Hello everyone and welcome to the first story I have ever written! The desire to write has been strong for a long time, and I hope you can give me some advice along the way as I take you through a new tale inspired by one of my favourite authors. A quick note, the Quidditch World Cup is held earlier than in the cannon. The first few chapters will be the preamble before the story really deviates strongly I imagine. Who knows, I haven't written them yet!

 **Description:** What would happen if Harry decided to break the chains holding him down and strive to be the strongest wizard he could? A very different tale indeed. The story begins at the end of the third year.

 **Disclaimer:** I am earning nothing from this, all rights belong to JK Rowling.

EDIT: I would like to thank billi24, panther73110, and T.J Law for pointing out the layout errors. Hopefully this is now fixed :)

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Harry Potter and the Runes that Bind

Chapter 1: The World Cup?

The Great Hall was a flurry of energy with students regaling each other with entertaining memories of another eventful year at Hogwarts and their summer vacation plans. Soon the eager students would be filling their bellies for the penultimate time this year and the final evening meal was always a spectacular one. With a muted bang, windows lining the eastern side of the hall opened. Chatter quickly died down as the final evening post arrived. Scores of birds gracefully glided across the vast expanse of the hall seeking their intended recipient, followed most ungainly by a rumpled, slow, fluffy grey owl.

"Errol!", one Ginny Weasley cried out in alarm as she spotted the bird noticeably straining with a bundle of envelopes dangling beneath. Waving and calling the bird to her, the elderly owl practically fell from the air, exhausted into Ginny's waiting arms. Under the curious gaze of those around her, she quickly untied the load from him. Gently stroking his withered feathers, she lowered him to rest in her lap, much to the amusement of those around, familiar with the old owls' visits. She turned her gaze to the sizeable collection of letters in front of her and began looking through the addressed names. "Wow why did she send so many…. Percy, Ron, me, 'the twins' really mum? And… ", her mumbles trailed off as she glanced across the table a few seats away. "Harry! Umm, I have a letter for you" She squeaked, eyes widening at the sound of her own cracking voice. "Not from me," she exclaimed, "it's from mum, she just sent it and I read your name and ahh!" blushing profusely and ducking her face away to hide her embarrassment, holding out two letter towards him and hoping he wouldn't notice.

Internally wincing at her continued awkward hero worship, Harry reached over the table and retrieved the letters from her. "Thanks, Ginny" he responded kindly, trying not to show how much her reaction to his presence annoyed him. After all, why would it change now after another eventful year with her saviour and hero from last year at the centre of it, he sarcastically thought. Noticing her handing out more letters around the table to her brothers, Harry grew curious about why he was written to as well when Hermione wasn't. After placing the letter addressed to him on the table, he turned to his left and attempted to break Ron out of his conversation about the up and coming Quidditch World Cup with Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan.

"… everyone knows Krum is the best!" exclaimed Ron with such fervour Harry thought he might begin to see pink love hearts instead of pupils, mentally jotting a note to himself to look up such a spell later for pranking purposes. "He hasn't lost a catch in the last 12 games, it's guaranteed!" He devotedly explained to anyone who would listen.

"Ron, letter for you," Harry said in a gentle manner, trying not to distract his friend too much from the intense discussion. Not that Ron paid him any attention, too focused on the battle of Quidditch facts.

"Yeah but Krum is only one guy! I've told you before, have you seen Bulgaria's defence and Ireland's offence?" a patriotic Seamus shot back. "We won't even need the snitch!" At this Harry just groaned tiresomely. He had borne witness to this debate more times in the week since Sirius escaped than he cared to count. Being dormmates with a fanboy and a patriot who couldn't stop arguing over the much-anticipated final match of the World Cup happening in two days' time was not the relaxing end to the year he had envisioned.

"He's got a point," commented Dean. Whilst not being particularly interested in Quidditch, far preferring his muggle born interest of football, he couldn't resist sport related fact fighting. It was a small wonder he hadn't brought his top trump collection from home though exploding snap seemed to be a wizarding staple he could get into.

As Ron swelled up to unleash a torrent of Krum related speed-catch facts on Seamus and Dean, Harry decided to intervene.

"Ron!" Harry half-shouted into his ear whilst simultaneously jabbing a finger into his ribs causing quite the amusing squawk from Ron as he tried to protect his now tender side. "You've got a letter and shut up about the ruddy World Cup already. You've argued about it for a week and you'll find out in the papers on Sunday, give it a rest already I don't want to hear anything about it!" Shoving the letter in front of his friend, Harry returned to his own letter, unsealing the contents, and pulling out another, thinner, envelope with a letter on top. Although very curious about the second envelope, he decided to read the letter first.

 _Dearest Harry,_

 _How are you dear? Are you eating enough? You aren't troubled by that Black still are you? I heard he was caught but got away. Don't you worry dear, let us deal with it and you can spend a nice summer relaxing._

 _No doubt you and Ron are excited by the World Cup and I have some exciting news for you! We recently won tickets and because I know how much you love Quidditch I want you to have mine. You mean ever so much to me, and all the family, and I would love to give my own to you, consider it an early birthday present so don't think about refusing! I'll see that Arthur makes space in the tent for you dear and you can spend the night with us before and after the final._

 _The headmaster says that you'll have to spend a bit longer at your Aunt's because you will be away a bit longer but don't worry, I'll talk to the headmaster about getting you over during the summer nice and early dear. No doubt you'd like to spend your time playing with Ron and Ginny in the garden rather than lounging around at home._

 _Love, Molly_

After bristling at the suggestion that his godfather was an evil man, Harry calmed himself knowing that Mrs Weasley probably doesn't know about his innocence and she was just looking out for him. Though he did frown at the insinuation that he wasn't mature or capable enough of dealing with his situation, he had killed a Basilisk last year and fought off 100 dementors just last week! His anger soon dissipated as he read further on. A ticket to the World Cup? How could his summer start any better! Although aggravated by Ron's continuous chatter about it, Harry was still interested, and now he had a ticket! A broad grin quickly overcame his face and he felt incredibly touched by Mrs Weasleys' kind and thoughtful nature. Clearly, Ron had just finished reading his own letter judging by the loud whoop and ringing in Harry's left ear. Grinning even wider as he noticed the twins Fred and George opening theirs together, one hand each being used as they attempted to become one, before rolling his eyes and snorting at Percy's disgruntled look: a supporter of his house in the inter-house Quidditch cup he may be, but a fan he is not.

"What is it Harry?" a quizzical feminine voice asked from his right. Turning to face the curious look on Hermione Grangers' face, Harry couldn't help but remember the flight they had had together last week on Buckbeak the hippogriff. A small smile crept onto his face as he remembered soaring across Hogwarts grounds with Hermione clutched to him in sheer fright whilst Harry experienced flying bliss. Blinking rapidly to clear his now daydreaming mind, Harry handed her the letter for her own perusal.

"Mrs Weasley has given me her ticket to the World Cup! How amazing is that?" Harry exclaimed as he opened the second envelope and removed his early birthday present: a bright golden ticket decorated with Quidditch players flying around a miniature pitch, 'Admittance: one ticket, top box' written across its centre and 'Quidditch World Cup' above. Harry quirked an eyebrow, not knowing where the top box was and turned to his fountain of Quidditch knowledge. "Where is the top box, Ron?"

"Are you kidding Harry? It's THE Top Box! The Ministers own box! Only those with special permission from the Ministry can go." An exuberant Ron giddily told him before looking at his ticket again. "I can't believe it! I'm going to THE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP!" he shouted as he threw his arms into the air, clutching his ticket like a Niffler does a golden nugget. His final exclamation drew the attention of those around him to see what had made him so raucous. "I get to see Krum! I get to watch the best in the world! I get…."

"RONALD!" a sharp voice called out from a few spaces down, "your shouting and incessant gibbering about this is giving me a migraine! Now, as you know, I do not much care for Quidditch and do not wish to attend. However, I cannot stand to hear you rant on about this any further. If I give you my ticket, will you cease this mindless blabbing!". Percy Weasley was clearly fed up and the rubbing of his temples showed he wasn't exaggerating about a migraine. "I do not wish to hear the words Quidditch, World Cup, Krum, or anything to do with the sport until tomorrow, am I clear?"

Harry's eyes widened at the offer. Percy the perfect prefect was turning down the opportunity to be inside the minister's box and introduce himself to the most important members of the Ministry? Many times had he described his desire to join the Ministry and this was his opportunity to get a foot in the door. Evidently, he hadn't read what the ticket entailed and had assumed it was a basic ticket, thought Harry. He glanced to his right and to his best friend, this was his chance to thank her for helping him with Sirius! Quickly turning back to his gobsmacked friend before he had a chance to ruin the opportunity, Harry said, "take it, Ron, it's only for the rest of the meal and then we can bring Hermione too!" A clearly dumbfounded Ron stretched his hand out to Percy, unable to grasp what just happened as quickly as his best friend had, nodding in acceptance of the conditions. Taking the letter and ticket, he turned to Hermione.

"Umm you want it?" he numbly asked.

"Thank you so much Ron!" she eagerly replied, not being the biggest quidditch fan didn't mean she was going to turn down this sort of invitation! Her family summer holiday to France wasn't until next week and she was certain her parents would understand. Ron nodded and turned back to his own ticket, mumbling under his breath as he watched the figures dart around the pitch. "Harry," she whispered as she leant in, a hand resting on his thigh making him tense at the sudden contact; he still wasn't used to touching that wasn't painful after all: he had had a bad childhood, to say the least. Hermione, oblivious to her friends' discomfort, leant in further, "thank you so much, you're amazing", she stated, giving her friend a quick squeeze, her nose against rubbing lightly against his neck. Harry had only just started to notice that girls were in fact girls, this coupled with his recent close quarter's experience with her and her current intimacy quickly sent every drop of blood straight to his face.

"You're welcome, umm, Hermione," he stuttered whilst also hoping a hole would open up and swallow him from the embarrassment he was feeling. As luck would have it, a clear ringing spread across the hall. Conversation rapidly died out as the students all turned to face the head table. Standing at the headmasters' throne stood a tall, bespectacled old man with a long grey beard, garish yellow robes with pink and green polka dots, and a classical blue pointy wizard's hat adorned with a bell: Headmaster Albus Dumbledore was an…. Interesting individual.

"Another year has come to pass," he intoned, his sparkling gaze sweeping over Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and finally Gryffindor. "Another year of learning, friendship, struggle, and achievement. I am proud of you all and do not wish to keep you from your just rewards. Tuck in!" he finished with an extravagant wave of his arms, signifying the appearance of the delicious and bountiful food. The tables groaned with the strain of holding so much. Piled high were roast potatoes, chicken, sausages, jugs of gravy, steaming bowls of vegetables, toad in the hole, black pudding, lamb, pork, roasted parsnips, jugs of pumpkin juice, and teetering piles of Yorkshire puddings to name just a few. Not for the first time Harry had to wonder why there were so few fat students as he watched Ron begin stuffing his face straight from the serving plates. Shrugging at the only sensible answer: magic, he began to pile his own plate with his favourite foods, knowing this may be the last good dinner for the next few months. 

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**AN:** So, what do you think? Too short? Too verbose? When I wrote the chapter plan out it was 700 words long. This chapter ended up covering just the just 1.5 sentences of that plan! Also, I won't be giving away too many spoilers as so many authors seem to do in their descriptions. I want you to enjoy the surprise as they appear. Suffice to say though that I will be introducing other branches of magic than explored in the original series. Can you guess what those might be? Each one you guess you win a cookie!

 **-ShamelessHaze**


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